1959 Corvette
For the 1959 Corvette, the busied '58 chrome styling was cleaned up considerably. The oft-derided faux hood louvers and decklid chrome bars were now nowhere to be found. Otherwise, there were few changes from the previous model year.
The 1959 Corvette changed little from the '58 model.
Powertrain choices were again unchanged, but the 1959 featured a minor mechanical alteration of major benefit: the addition of rear-trailing radius rods that helped contribute to a slightly softer ride and noticeably less rear-end steering on irregular surfaces. The rods also helped counteract rear-axle windup, which was an unfortunate byproduct of a problem with the explosive torque produced by the most powerful engines, and the RPO 684 heavy-duty brakes/suspension option was given even stiffer springs -- all of which made for better handling.
Most Corvettes could shoot through the quarter-mile in under 15 seconds, and 0-60 mph times of less than eight seconds were typical. Road & Track clocked a 290-bhp fuelie engine from 0 to 60 mph in 6.6 seconds and on to the quarter-mile mark in 14.5 seconds at 96 mph. Top speed was listed at 128 mph with the short 4.11:1 final drive.
The 1959 Corvette looked cleaner and more purposeful thanks to
removal of the decklid chrome and hood ribbing.
At about this time Chevrolet was working on a new and far more radical concept for America's sports car -- the so-called Q-Corvette. This was a much smaller and lighter two-seat coupe with very streamlined styling, an independent rear suspension, and a rear transaxle derived from the one being developed for Chevy's new rear-engine compact, the 1960 Corvair. Unfortunately, the Q-model would be another false start on the road to a truly new second-generation Corvette.
Production totaled 9,670 units for the 1959 model year, a slight increase over the year before. Chevy still wasn't making much money on Corvettes, but it wasn't losing any either. Sales continued their steady if modest climb for 1960, exceeding the psychologically important 10,000-unit level by exactly 261 cars.
Learn about other Corvettes in this generation:
| 1953 Corvette | 1954 Corvette | 1955 Corvette |
| 1956 Corvette | 1957 Corvette | 1958 Corvette |
| 1959 Corvette | 1960 Corvette | 1961 Corvette |
| 1962 Corvette |
Looking for more information on Corvettes and other cars? See:
- Corvettes: Learn about the history behind each model year and see Corvette photographs.
- Corvette Specifications: Get key specifications, engine and transmission types, prices, and production totals.
- Corvette Museum: The National Corvette Museum draws Corvette lovers from all over the world. Learn more about the museum.
- Corvette Pictures: Find pictures of the hottest classic and current-year Corvettes.
- Muscle Cars: Get information on more than 100 tough-guy rides.
- Consumer Guide Corvette Reviews: Considering a Corvette purchase? See what Consumer Guide has to say.
1959 Corvette Specifications
The 1959 Corvette featured a cleaned-up look thanks to the removal of chrome detailing, but kept all the power of its predecessor and gained a smoother ride thanks to the addition of rear-trailing radius rods. Here are the specifications for the 1959 Corvette:
 The 1959 Corvette could reach a top speed of 128 mph. |
| Vehicle Specifications | Convertible |
| Wheelbase, inches | 102.0 |
| Length, inches | 177.0 |
| Width, inches | 73.0 |
| Track, inches | front: 57.0 rear: 59.0 |
| Height, inches | 52.0 |
| Curb Weight, pounds | 3,080 |
Mechanical Specifications (2-door convertible)
Suspension
front: Independent; upper and lower A-arms, unequal-length wishbones, coil springs, antiroll bar, tubular hydraulic shock absorbers
rear: Live axle on semi-elliptic leaf springs, tubular hydraulic shock absorbers, trailing radius rods
Wheels/Tires
6.70x15
Brakes
front: 11-inch drum
rear: 11-inch drum
Transmission
3-speed manual (std)
4-speed manual (opt)
2-speed Powerglide (opt)
Standard axle ratio
3.70:1
Engine Specifications
| Type | ohv V-8 | ohv V-8 | ohv V-8 | ohv V-8 | ohv V-8 |
| Displacement, liters/cu inch | 4.6/283 | 4.6/283 | 4.6/283 | 4.6/283 | 4.6/283 |
| Bore x stroke, inches | 3.875 x 3.00 | 3.875 x 3.00 | 3.875 x 3.00 | 3.875 x 3.00 | 3.875 x 3.00 |
| Fuel Management | 1 x 4-bbl. | 2 x 4-bbl. | fuel injection | 2 x 4-bbl. | fuel injection |
| Horsepower @ rpm | 230 @ 4800 | 245 @ 5000 | 250 @ 5000 | 270 @ 6000 | 290 @ 6200 |
| Torque @ rpm, pound-foot | 300 @ 3000 | 300 @ 3800 | 305 @ 3800 | 285 @ 4200 | 290 @ 4400 |
Published Performance Numbers
| Acceleration | 250 hp, 4-sp man. | 290 hp, 4-sp man. |
| 0-60 mph, sec | 7.8 | 6.8 |
| 0-100 mph, sec | NA | 15.5 |
| 1/4-mile, sec @ mph | 15.7 @ 90 | 14.9 @ 96 |
(Source: Road & Track)
Vehicle Production and Base Prices
| Car Type | Production | Price |
| 2-door convertible | 9,670 | $3,875.00 |
Options and Production
| Option | Production | Price |
| Heater | 8,909 | $102.25 |
| AM Radio, signal seeking | 7,001 | 149.80 |
| Parking Brake Alarm | 3,601 | 5.40 |
| Courtesy Lights | 3,601 | 6.50 |
| Windshield Washer | 7,909 | 16.15 |
| Radiator Fan Clutch | 67 | 21.55 |
| Sunshades | 3,722 | 10.80 |
| Wheels, 15 x 5.5 | 214 | 0.00 |
| Whitewall Tires, 6.70 x 15 | 8,173 | 31.55 |
| Powerglide Automatic Transmission | 1,878 | 199.10 |
| Auxiliary Hardtop | 5,481 | 236.75 |
| Power Windows | 587 | 59.20 |
| Two-Tone Paint | 2,931 | 16.15 |
| 245 hp Engine | 1,417 | 150.65 |
| 270 hp Engine | 1,846 | 182.95 |
| Power Operated Folding Top | 661 | 139.90 |
| 250 hp Engine Fl | 175 | 484.20 |
| 290 hp Engine Fl | 745 | 484.20 |
| Positraction Rear Axle | 4,170 | 48.45 |
| Heavy Duty Brakes and Suspension | 142 | 425.05 |
| 4-speed Manual Transmission | 4,175 | 188.30 |
| Metallic Brakes | 333 | 26.90 |
| Blackwall Tires, 6.70 x 15 nylon | NA | NA |
| 24 Gallon Fuel Tank | NA | NA |
Color Choices and Production
| Color Choice | Production | Color Choice | Production |
| Tuxedo Black | 1,594 | Classic Cream | 223 |
| Frost Blue | 1,024 | Crown Sapphire | 888 |
| Roman Red | 1,542 | Snowcrest White | 3,354 |
| Inca Silver | 957 |
Learn about other Corvettes in this generation:
| 1953 Corvette | 1954 Corvette | 1955 Corvette |
| 1956 Corvette | 1957 Corvette | 1958 Corvette |
| 1959 Corvette | 1960 Corvette | 1961 Corvette |
| 1962 Corvette |
Looking for more information on Corvettes and other cars? See:
- Corvettes: Learn about the history behind each model year and see Corvette photographs.
- Corvette Specifications: Get key specifications, engine and transmission types, prices, and production totals.
- Corvette Museum: The National Corvette Museum draws Corvette lovers from all over the world. Learn more about the museum.
- Corvette Pictures: Find pictures of the hottest classic and current-year Corvettes.
- Muscle Cars: Get information on more than 100 tough-guy rides.
- Consumer Guide Corvette Reviews: Considering a Corvette purchase? See what Consumer Guide has to say.